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Cedric glares at the blacksmith, clearly unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner. "Do you know who my mother is, you senile mutt?" he spits, his voice dripping with contempt. "Leia \'The Serpent Queen\' Viperis- one of the most important people in the Divine Nectar faction! I could have this entire dump buried with a singe word of mine, so I suggest you start showing some respect!"

The blacksmith remains unimpressed, his expression unchanged. "I don\'t care if your father\'s the king himself," he says calmly. "This is my shop. Now get out before I make you."

As Cedric bristles with rage, I can\'t help but feel a twinge of concern. Divine Nectar? That\'s a name I recognize- a major faction of the Vesper Consortium\'s Winterwood branch. I\'ve heard enough about the syndicate to know that crossing someone with such a high standing in the faction I wish to join could bring a world of trouble down on me.

As much as I\'d like to wipe the smirk off Cedric\'s face, I know it\'s not the right time to make enemies of people with that much power. I need time to grow stronger and, more importantly, secure some reliable backers of my own before I start picking fights with the likes of his mother.

"There\'s no need for all this hostility. How about we settle our differences like professionals during the Trials?"

Cedric looks at me, his expression still full of anger, but I can see a glimmer of interest in his eyes. "The Trials, huh?" he sneers. "You think you can actually make it?"

Selene, who had been trying to defuse the situation for a while now, looks at me with newfound curiosity. "You\'re participating in the Trials?" she asks, with a tone that\'s lost a lot of its edge.

"That\'s right," I reply evenly. "And that\'s where I propose we settle this, on terms people with our backgrounds prefer. No need to drag civilians into it, also there\'s no need for unnecessary drama."

Cedric hesitates, clearly tempted by the idea of humiliating me in front of an audience. Finally, he gives a short, sharp nod. "Fine," he says, though his voice is laced with malice. "But don\'t think this is over. When the Trials come you\'ll be on your knees while vehemently kissing my feet, begging for forgiveness that will never come."

He shoots one last venomous glare at the blacksmith, then turns on his heel and storms out of the shop. Selene remains for a moment longer, her gaze lingering on me, a mixture of suspicion and intrigue in her eyes, before she follows him out the door. The door slams shut behind them, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.

I let out a quiet breath I didn\'t realize I\'d been holding. That could\'ve gone much worse. I\'ve managed to avoid making a powerful family into my enemy today, but the clock is ticking. We need to be ready by the time the Trials begin.

"You are one brave old man." I say while handing over the coins.

"Meh. I knew he was a member of the Consortium just from a single glance. They would roast him alive if he acted on his promises of ruining me, no matter who his mommy or daddy is. Well, maybe if they were a Veil Walker or a circle member… But an \'important\' member of a county branch\'s faction? Good joke." He scoffs dismissively.

I see. Considering the nice state of Braedon despite it basically being a criminal safe-haven, they must have very serious rules set in place and even more serious enforcers of said rules.

"Well, good luck to you. Thanks for the wares." I say my goodbye, to which he just grunts.

Next up is the armor shop. Since Ayame still has her Rare fantasy samurai-themed armor it\'s just Blossom and I in need of purchasing items here.

As we step into the armor shop, the scent of polished leather and metal greets us. The walls are lined with rows of armor, ranging from heavy plate to more lightweight and agile designs. My eyes scan the selection, looking for something suitable for Blossom and myself but I can\'t help but notice that her attention is drawn to a particular set of "armor" in the corner of the shop.

It\'s a… rather unconventional piece, to say the least.

The armor- if you could call it that- is made of sleek black leather, hugging the curves of a curvaceous mannequin with minimal coverage.

The design is strikingly similar to a BDSM set I saw in a few particular videos back on Earth- videos that would\'ve made my mother give me the cold shoulder for months should she find them on my drive- with a halter neck and a plunging neckline that leaves little to the imagination.

The bodice is tight, showing off every contour, while the skirt portion is practically nonexistent, replaced by a thin strip of material that offers no real protection. To complete the look, there\'s a pair of sleek, black boots and a set of matching gloves. The ensemble seems to be more about aesthetics than function, and it\'s clear that it\'s designed to be eye-catching rather than practical.

It\'s basically a video game female armor set that\'s marketed for their predominantly male audience.

[Nightshade Lurker]

[Rarity: Rare]

[Skills: Shadow Veil]

[Shadow Veil: When in dim light or darkness, the wearer can blend seamlessly into the shadows, becoming nearly invisible for a short duration.]

This BDSM gear is Rare rarity??? It has a skill imbued in it?! And it\'s an amazing skill at that!

What the fuck? Wait, it costs 2 gold?!

Huh?

"This one\'s so amazing!" Blossom exclaims, her voice full of enthusiasm.